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Edinburgh Travel Guide

Edinburgh Travel Guide

An historic, atmospheric and arty city, Edinburgh is
one of the great European capitals and is deservedly very popular
with travellers:

Edinburgh was nicknamed Auld Reekie (Old Smoky) at a time when
coal and wood was still relied on to keep the populace warm, and
although the city is now a modern metropolis with fabulous shopping and more
Michelin-starred restaurants than any
UK city bar London, the nickname still suits this delightful and
ancient city, with its old chimneys, smoke-stained Gothic buildings
and towering, medieval castle. It is easy to understand how
Edinburgh has influenced and inspired so many famous authors, as
the city feels like something out of a very good novel.

Edinburgh is renowned for its many museums, old buildings and
monuments, but it has appeal beyond the historic. The Scottish
capital's nightlife is always
interesting, with charming old pubs and fashionable nightclubs
rubbing shoulders in a number of trendy districts. The city is also
celebrated for its performing arts, with many theatres and an
exciting and full cultural calendar, the highlight of which is the
Edinburgh International Festival in
August.

Best time to visit Edinburgh

Edinburgh's weather is notoriously changeable, with plenty of
wind and rain in every season. The weather is at its best between
May and September, in late spring, summer and early autumn, and
this is the most popular time to visit. The city is flooded by
travellers during the famous festival in August and the lively
Hogmanay New Year's celebrations. Read more on Edinburgh's Climate and
Weather.

What to do in Edinburgh

-Stroll down Edinburgh's Royal
Mile, a route crammed with shops, pubs, museums and historic
buildings.

Beyond Edinburgh

Many glorious daytrips are possible from the Scottish capital:
the cities of St Andrews, Dumfries and Dundee are all within easy reach and
bursting with historic attractions, famous golf courses and
interesting museums. A trip to Stirling
Castle, one of the most impressive fortresses in Scotland, is
also a very popular excursion from Edinburgh.

Getting there

Edinburgh International Airport, situated eight miles (13km)
west of the city, receives cheap direct flights from many other
cities in the UK. Edinburgh is also well connected to cities like
London by rail. Get more information on Airports in
Edinburgh.

Did you know?

-Edinburgh is said to be one of the most haunted places in
Europe, with many famous ghost stories and graveyards.

-Grey Friar's Bobby, a terrier, won the hearts of the populace
by sitting on his owner's grave for 14 years.

-J.K. Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter novel in the Elephant
House cafe, with a view of the castle.

Presenting a distinctly Gothic cityscape as it spreads out below
its ancient castle, reaching out to the port of Leith, Edinburgh is
far from dour. The canny Scots have crafted a capital that is
crammed with culture, filled with fun and festivity, veneered with
sophistication but reeking of history and mystery. It's a heady
combination that never fails to charm visitors to this city, built
on a set of extinct volcanoes on the Firth of Forth, an inlet from
the North Sea, just north of the border between Scotland and
England.

The first thing that catches the eye in Edinburgh is the looming
battlements of the castle, sitting atop sheer granite cliffs that
can only be accessed from one steep ridge. Today the castle heads
up the Royal Mile and a linear set of streets making up the 'New
Town', created when Edinburgh was re-designed in the 1700s, after
the Act of Union with Britain. Tourists eagerly wander up and down
the main street, Princes Street, all year round, browsing in the
top quality stores and photographing the vista of the castle and
the old town. When it comes to sightseeing, Edinburgh's attractions
are largely based on historic stories and legends, from the
churchyard where Greyfriar's Bobby, the terrier, refused to leave
his master's grave, to the grand royal apartments of Holyrood
House, where Mary Queen of Scots watched her husband kill her lover
back in the 16th century.

Edinburgh oozes atmosphere, but never more so than during the
summer months, when the vibrant Edinburgh Festival fills the city
with drama, creativity and colourful visitors from around the
world. Another occasion when Edinburgh pulls out all its stops is
during the traditional Hogmanay New Year festival, when the jolly
festivities are warmed by a great imbibing of Scottish malt whisky
and ales pulled in the many local pubs.

Edinburgh is perhaps best summed up by one of its famous sons,
the novelist Robert Louis Stevenson, who described it as 'a
profusion of eccentricities; a dream in masonry and living rock'.
Just remember that if you want to endear yourself to the locals,
pronounce the city's name as 'Edinbruh' and not 'Edinberg'!

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